News / Edward Colston
Colston statue’s Grade II listing removed as uncertainty over plaque remains
More than three and a half years after it was fished out of the docks and taken to the M Shed, the statue of Edward Colston has now had its Grade II listing officially removed so it can become a permament part of Bristol museums’ collection.
The plaque that will be placed on the plinth that used to hold the statue remains contentious, however, with the wording agreed by the mayoral-appointed We Are Bristol History Commission unable to be approved by councillors.
Labour members boycotted Wednesday evening’s development control meeting in City Hall due to their continued concerns about its chair, Green councillor Ani Stafford-Townsend, but those in attendance approved the de-listing of the statue and the continued listed status of the empty plinth.
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The plaque’s words will be discussed at the committee’s next meeting in April, which will take place after the expected opening of a new exhibition at the M Shed that will include the Colston statue covered in the graffiti it had daubed on it on June 7 2020.
Colston’s statue was toppled during a Black Lives Matter march – photo: Martin Booth
In their ‘The Colston statue: what next?’ report, the History Commission’s suggested wording of a new plaque is: “On 13 November 1895, a statue of Edward Colston (1636-1721) was unveiled here celebrating him as a city benefactor. In the late 20th and early 21st century, the celebration of Colston was increasingly challenged given his prominent role in the enslavement of African people. On 7 June 2020, the statue was pulled down during Black Lives Matter protests and rolled into the harbour. Following consultation with the city in 2021, the statue entered the collections of Bristol City Council’s museums.”
Lib Dem councillor Sarah Classick said that this wording “waters down the history and does gloss over some of the reasons why it was taken down and the public feeling behind that”.
Green councillor Lorraine Francis said the words “do not represent my African heritage in any way, shape or size”.
Lib Dem councillor Sarah Classick (left) and Green councillor Lorraine Francis (right) – photo: Rob Browne
Francis added: “It’s kind of like a trigger back to school because all it actually says is ‘the enslavement of African people’. That’s what it says.
“Black Lives Matter is something that grew because of a specific incident and it makes me feel a little bit wobbly just to see that ‘enslavement of African people’…
“I think it’s totally and wholly inappropriate. Of all the things we could say on it, I don’t like that and I agree with what councillor Classick said, who’s going to have the last say? Who’s going to give the nod to this?”
Council planning chief Simone Wilding said that the wording of the plaque was due to be signed off by the council’s own planning officers, but she agreed that the final approval of the plaque’s wording could be decided by the planning committee made up of elected councillors.
Colston’s statue was given a woolen ball and chain in May – photo: Martin Booth
Conservative councillor Chris Windows, who arrived late to the meeting so was unable to vote, said: “It is my considered opinion and always has been that the correct place for the statue is on its original plinth.
“I don’t believe in re-writing history or anything else.
“It worries me that it has to go somewhere safe because I don’t believe that it if went back on the plinth it’s going to be safe at all, in fact it will probably disappear within days.
“And I find that a terrible shame. The city that I was brought up in… this would never have happened because people had respect and it’s unfortunate that respect now seems to be a bad word particularly in the Bristol area.
“So I believe that (the statue) has to go with the museum and be safe even though I believe that it’s an unfair decision.”
Stafford-Townsend told Windows that “it was not re-writing history but shining a light on the truer history for more people”.
Francis added: “It’s not about the statue being unsafe. It’s about what the statue represents.
“So whether it goes on the plinth, whether it’s in the museum, whether it goes back in the river, whether it stays in your back yard, mate, I think the issue is about slavery, it’s about history, that’s what it’s about, not about the statue not being safe.”
Main photo: Martin Booth
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